1) Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to composite structures, and more specifically, to composite sandwich panel assemblies and methods for composite sandwich panel structures, such as used in aircraft.
2) Description of Related Art
Composite structures are used in a wide variety of applications. In aircraft construction, composites may be used to manufacture aircraft panel structures, such as for use in forming interior stowage bins, interior closets and interior storage compartments. Such aircraft panel structures may be joined together using mortise and tenon joint assemblies. For example, FIG. 2A is an illustration of an enlarged, fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a known mortise and tenon joint assembly 30. As shown in FIG. 2A, the known mortise and tenon joint assembly 30 has a tenon portion 32 with a tenon tab 34 adapted for insertion into a mortise opening 38 of a mortise portion 36. FIG. 2B is an illustration of an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the known mortise and tenon joint assembly 30 of FIG. 2A showing the tenon tab 34 of the tenon portion 32 inserted into the corresponding mortise opening 38 of the mortise portion 36.
However, during the manufacture of aircraft panel structures, such known mortise and tenon joint assemblies typically require the use of additional fixtures, fasteners, adhesive tape, and/or clamp devices to hold such mortise and tenon joint assemblies together properly and to hold such aircraft panel structures together properly. The installation, use, and removal of such additional fixtures, fasteners, adhesive tape, and/or clamp devices may increase labor, materials, and tooling costs, which, in turn, may increase overall production costs. In addition, the installation, use, and removal of such additional fixtures, fasteners, adhesive tape, and/or clamp devices may increase the time to assemble the panel structures, which, in turn, may increase the overall production costs. Moreover, the installation and use of additional fixtures or fasteners that may not be removed after assembly may increase the overall weight of such known mortise and tenon joint assemblies and such aircraft panel structures, and in turn, may increase transportation and fuel costs.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved joint assemblies for panel structures and methods of fabricating the same that provide advantages over known assemblies and methods.